OVERVIEW

Modern social geography brings together multiple orientations and research methods focused on the relationships between territorial and social dynamics.
Social geography questions how society interacts with space, how society perceives space and attributes symbolic values to it, and therefore relates to it by assuming certain behaviours or making certain choices of territorial organization. 

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims to provide an overview of the main geographical schools and the main themes and problems for the interpretation and analysis of socio-territorial dynamics.

AIMS AND LEARNING OUTCOMES

The course aims both to provide the main theoretical references and foundations of social geography and to illustrate some case studies for a reading of social and economic phenomena on the territory. In particular, the course focuses on the relationship between society and space, the latter understood as a social product.
Students will be able to acquire adequate knowledge and an effective ability to understand the perspectives and tools for the analysis of space as a social product; they will also be able to apply the acquired knowledge and understand issues related to the interrelationships between territorial dynamics and social dynamics.

TEACHING METHODS

Synchronous lessons on TEAMS platform created ad hoc for teaching with projection of slides and with analysis and discussion of case studies, graphs, diagrams, tables, thematic maps. Students will be invited to carry out a brief in-depth study of a topic (through the elaboration of powerpoints or the reading of scientific articles also in English agreed with the teacher). 
Material uploaded on AULAWEB and also in the "file" window of the TEAMS platform

SYLLABUS/CONTENT

Different conceptions of space (absolute space, relative space, space as a social product) will be presented to guide the research and its implications; the evolution of social geography studies will be studied in depth and specific themes of modern social geography will be examined.
The course will address geo-social issues with specific reference to the environment, the evolution of social structures, urban spaces, socio-spatial inequalities. The topics and problems related to: sustainable development; demographic and mobility phenomena, rights and empowerment, equal opportunities read also through geo-social indicators, geo-cartographic tools and ICT will be examined in depth.

RECOMMENDED READING/BIBLIOGRAPHY

For attending students:
- Slides presented in class and uploaded both on TEAMS platform and Aulaweb portal.
In addition, during the lessons, the following scientific articles will be commented and critically analyzed: 

• United Nation, The Sustainable Development Goals Report 2020, United Nations, 2020.
• Dumitru S.,  Marfouk A. , Existe-t-il une féminisation de la migration internationale? , in Hommes & migrations, 2015, pp. 31-41.
• Everett S. Lee, A Theory of Migration, in  Demography, Vol. 3, No. 1. (1966), pp. 47-57.
• Defoort C., Tendances de long terme des migrations internationales : analyse à partir des six principaux pays receveurs, in  Population 2008/2 (Vol. 63), pp. 317-351.

For students not attending:

• M. Loda, Geografia sociale, Carocci, Roma, 2008 (Cap. 1, 3, 4, 5, 6, ).
• D. Pasquinelli D'Allegra , D. Pavia , C. Pesaresi, Geografia per l'inclusione. Partecipazione attiva contro le disuguaglianze, F. angeli, Milano, 2017

Critical reading and report/written report of a text of your choice from the following :

•  G. Amoretti , N. Varani (a cura di), Il turismo della terza età, Roma, Carocci, 2013.
• Z. Bauman, Città di paure, città di speranze, Roma, Castelvecchi, 2018.

• M. E. Buslacchi, Capitali europee della cultura nel Mediterraneo: viaggio nelle città di mezzo. Una prospettiva antropologica sulle trasformazioni urbane da Genova e Marsiglia in poi, Harmattan Italia, Torino, 2020
• G. Nesti, Trasformazioni urbane. Le città intelligenti tra sfide e opportunità,Carocci Editore, Roma, 2018.
• N. Varani, A. Primi, La condizione della donna in Africa Sub-sahariana. Riflessioni geografiche, Libreria Universitaria, Padova, 2011 (Note introduttive, Cap. 1, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8).
• N. Varani, A. Primi, Rio +20: Politiche per l'ambiente. Una lettura geografica, Libreria Universitaria, Padova, 2012

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

Exam Board

NICOLETTA VARANI (President)

GIACOMO ZANOLIN

KRISTINA MAMAYUSUPOVA (Substitute)

LESSONS

LESSONS START

START OF LESSONS LAST WEEK OF SEPTEMBER
indicatively on 25 September 2020 

Class schedule

The timetable for this course is available here: Portale EasyAcademy

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

Oral

(if the provisions on social distancing are not so restrictive, a written test reserved for students attending synchronous streaming lessons can be agreed upon)

ASSESSMENT METHODS

Oral examinations are conducted on the knowledge of the main phases of the epistemological debate with particular reference to the problems and methods of social geography; also on the basis of comments on images, graphs, tables, diagrams, thematic maps and case studies examined in class or present on the study texts. 
The examination in oral form will be evaluated on the basis: 
a) Knowledge of the topics covered in the course (65%)
b) Quality of oral exposure/ability to present arguments and critical approach to the discipline (25%)
c) Mastery of specific vocabulary (10%)

Exam schedule